The day is finally here, daily fantasy players! Baseball is back and the Opening Day MLB slate looks like a fun one.
As excited as every daily fantasy enthusiast is today, it seems a little odd that FanDuel decided to split the slate. There is an Early three game slate that carries a very sneaky stack that would have been great to see on the Main slate. Since it’s Opening Day and fantasy players are very excited, we’re going to break each slate down a little bit more in-depth than normal. Usually, whichever slate is smaller will just get picks and a sample lineup and we’ll focus on the Main slate. Today, we’ll dive in to both in the same manner. After all, we’re all about the fans here!
Also, starting tomorrow, the scores from any sample lineup will be posted here as a way to be accountable to the readers. Analysis is super important but it also matters if it holds true.
Finding the right starting pitcher is always going to be key because that spot is the quickest way to rack up points. Unlike most sites, FanDuel doesn’t dock points for walks or hits given up so it can make sense to chase the upside with a pitcher with not-so-great control. Opening Day means a lot of aces are on the mound, but both slates feature quite a few poor options. It’s weird Opening Day on the bump and it’s likely best to pay up for a trustworthy player.
One note about the Early slate- the Detroit/Pittsburgh game does have rain in the forecast. Be sure to check the weather updates. If that game rains out, it’s probably best to skip the Early slate altogether. It’s already small enough with just three games.
Starting Pitchers, Sign End Spends
Early Slate
Noah Syndergaard, $10,300 – There is simply no other pitcher in the short slate that can match the potential ceiling that Syndergaard carries. He appears to be fully healed from the lat injury that cost him almost all of the 2017 season. He can strikeout double-digit batters any time out.
Main Slate
Chris Sale, $11,200 – There’s not much of a discount on Sale from Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw but he is in a much better spot to get a win. Sale and the Red Sox travel to Tampa to take on the Rays and Sale has a lot of good things going in this matchup. First, the Sox are heavy favorites in this game. Second, he’s pitching in a very friendly park and faces downtrodden offense.
Third, the Rays finished the 2017 season next to last in strikeouts per game while Sale himself had a K/9 of 12.93. It also helps that Sale threw a slider almost 27 percent of the time in 2017 and the Rays were awful against that pitch last year(per FanGraphs, they finished at -27.8 runs above average vs. the slider). Since there are so many ace options today, Sale’s ownership could be reasonable. The combo of factors working in his favor are too many to pass on.
It’s important to note Sale did suffer a hip contusion over the weekend. There’s a little more risk than normal with him today.
Clayton Kershaw, $11,700 – Any time Kershaw toes the rubber, he deserves at least a look.He is certainly more attractive now that he won’t be facing off against Giants ace Madison Bumgarner. Kershaw’s typically a cash game staple but there are such a plethora of options, you don’t NEED to go that route. It’s worth noting that his three year track record against his division rival is sparkling with a 1.91 ERA, 8-4 record and a 116/10 strikeout to walk ratio.
Mid – Range
Early Slate
Carlos Martinez, $7,900 – It could be difficult to get a win out of Martinez since he’s facing off against Noah Syndergaard but he carries plenty of upside at a very reasonable price. He’s on the road in New York but temperatures are forecasted to be very low, which tends to favor the pitcher. a $1,400 discount off of Jon Lester is pretty appealing as well.
Main Slate
Chase Anderson, $7,600 – The Brewers are on the road in San Diego and Anderson is certainly not the typical Opening Day starter. The strikeout rate isn’t huge but he’s got a good track record against the San Diego lineup. The Padres might struggle to score runs this year. It probably wouldn’t be the best way to go, but choosing Anderson does afford you a lot of money to spend on offense.
Value
Early Slate
Given the fact there are only six starting pitchers and three are on the higher end, it’s not advisable to get cute. Pay for one of the three studs and figure things out from there.
Main Slate
It’s pretty much the same song and dance in the main slate. Find an ace and pay the price since Opening Day affords a ton of high end options in one slate. However, one VERY risky option that would allow an offense heavy build would be to take a stab at James Shields at $5,800. To be crystal clear, there is every chance he could get blown up. He was terrible in 2017 but does draw a sweetheart matchup in Kansas City. The Royals finished 25th in runs in 2017 and lost first baseman Eric Hosmer to free agency. That’s the only analysis going in favor of Shields so to reiterate, he is tournament only.
Pitchers to potentially target against – Danny Duffy(vs. Chicago White Sox), and Kendall Graveman(vs. Los Angeles Angels)